Privacy is personal

When it comes to privacy, we know one size does not fit all. That’s why we build controls that are easy to use so you can choose the privacy settings that are right for you. It’s a responsibility that comes with creating products and services that are free and accessible for everyone, everywhere.

Google Account - Your privacy settings, all in one place

You can find your info, privacy, and security settings all in one place – your Google Account. We have created easy-to-use tools like Dashboard and My Activity, which give you transparency over data collected from your activity across Google services. There are also powerful privacy controls like Activity Controls and Ad Settings, which allow you to switch the collection and use of data on or off to decide how all of Google can work better for you.

Quickly access your privacy settings

We want to make sure your Google Account is always easy to find in our most popular services like Search, Maps, YouTube, Gmail and Assistant. Just tap on your profile picture and follow the link to your account.

Control what data is saved to your Google Account

Choose what data is saved to your account with easy on/off controls

From better commute options in Maps to quicker results in Search, the data we save to your account can make Google services more useful to you. Using Activity Controls, you can decide what types of activity get associated with your account to personalize your experience across Google services and pause the collection of specific types of data – like your search and browsing activity, location history, and information from your device.

Set data to automatically delete from your account

To give you even more control, Auto-delete settings let you choose a time limit for how long you want to keep your activity data. Data older than the limit you choose will be continuously and automatically deleted from your account. This makes it easy for you to set it and forget it, but you can always go back and update these settings at any time.

Review and delete data from your account

My Activity is the central place where you can find everything you’ve searched, viewed, and watched using our services. To make it easier to recall your past online activity, we give you tools to search by topic, date, and product. You can permanently delete specific activities or even entire topics that you don’t want associated with your account.

Choose the privacy settings that are right for you with your Privacy Checkup

In just a few minutes, you can manage the types of data we collect, update what you share with friends or make public, and adjust the types of ads you would like us to show you. You can change these settings as often as you want and even choose to have regular reminders sent to help keep your current settings in mind.

Turn on Incognito mode in Chrome, Search, Youtube and Maps

Incognito mode is already available in Chrome, Search on iOS and YouTube, and we’re bringing it to Maps. When you turn Incognito mode on in Maps and YouTube, your activity - like the places you search for or the videos you watch - won’t be saved to your Google Account. And once you turn it off, that activity won’t impact your recommendations or show up in your apps. As always, when you turn off Incognito mode in Chrome and Search your browsing data won’t be saved on your apps and devices. Tap from your profile picture to easily turn it on or off in Search, YouTube or Maps.

Incognito mode in Maps coming soon

Control your data, right from your apps

We’ve made it easier for you to make decisions about your data directly within the Google services you use every day. For example, without ever leaving Search, you can review and delete your recent search activity, get quick access to relevant privacy controls from your Google Account, and learn more about how Search works with your data. You can access these controls in Search, Maps, and the Assistant.

Take your content anywhere with Download Your Data

Your photos. Your emails. Your contacts. Even your bookmarks. You are in control of the data saved in your Google Account. That is why we created Download Your Data – so you can make a copy, back it up, or even move it to another service.

You can download data in multiple formats from Google services including Google Photos, Drive, Calendar, Google Play Music, and Gmail. Or you can export that data directly to services including Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, and Box.

Decide what basic personal information to share to make it easier for others to get in touch

Control what information Google uses to show you personalized ads

In Ad Settings, we make it easy to control what data we use to personalize ads to you. This includes information you’ve added to your Google Account, what we’ve guessed about your interests thanks to your activity, and interactions with other advertisers that partner with us to show ads.

Your activity influences what we show you, but you’re always in control. For example, we may think you’re a soccer fan because you watched highlights from a recent match on YouTube, or looked up “soccer fields near me” on Google Search. And if you’ve spent time on a partner advertiser’s site, we may suggest ads based on that visit.

When ad personalization is on, you can choose any info – age and gender, an inferred interest, or a previous interaction with an advertiser – learn more about why it’s being used, turn it off, or deactivate personalized ads altogether. You’ll still see ads, but they’ll most likely be less relevant.

See and manage data in your Google Account in Dashboard

We make it easy to see an overview of the Google products you use and the data in each of them, all in one place. You can review your Google activity in the past month; see how many emails, docs, and photos you have; and get answers to questions about Gmail settings. You also have quick access to relevant product settings and related help center articles if you need them.